Samsung teams up with Phones 4u to launch 15 retail stores across UK

Stores will stock Samsung phones, computing accessories and wearable technology

South Korean smartphone manufacturer Samsung is to open 15 new retail stores in the UK, in a partnership with Phones 4u.

The companies have already come together for the flagship Samsung store in Westfield Stratford, where Phones 4u personnel are employed as sales staff. The retailer also ran pop-up stores for Samsung as part of Samsung's Olympics sponsorship in 2012.

According to Scott Hooton, chief marketing officer at Phones 4u, the stores will stock the full range of Samsung phones, computing accessories and wearable technology.

"We are already a leading retailer of Samsung phones and thrilled to be further developing our strong relationship," he said.

Hooton suggested that there could be more stores on the way when he mentioned "the first 15 stores".

The openings may also enable Samsung to gain an advantage on long-time rival Apple, which also has its own stores across the UK.

Samsung, expected to reveal the Galaxy S5 smartphone at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona at the end of the month, has also signed a deal with Phones 4u's rival retailer Carphone Warehouse to be a ‘preferred partner'.

The deal means that Carphone Warehouse will operate more than 60 Samsung stand-alone stores across Europe.

The retailer claimed that shoppers can expect an "exciting new customer experience which merges retail and technology innovations such as Carphone Warehouse's assisted sales tool and connectivity platform using Samsung-branded tablets".